Animals rule in children s literature frogs and caterpillars and bears - oh my

From very hungry caterpillars and penguins for every day of the year to the Kingdom of Frogavia, animals rule in children's literature. Whether used to teach numbers, colors, or more subtle lessons of morality, animals are the perfect vehicles for conveying tangible and intangible concepts in an entertaining way.

The unique not-quite-human yet not-quite-animal characters in the classic Dr. Seuss tales, paired with allegories about honor and even disarmament, set the stage for the next generation of children's books and entertainment. Endearing creatures from Sesame Street (what is a Snuffleupagus, anyway?) and puppets from Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood created a world of make believe that children could call their own.

In children's literature, the story is often secondary to the lavish illustrations. "The Very Hungry Caterpillar," for example, wouldn't be nearly as compelling without Eric Carle's illustrations. Likewise, "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie" is clever, but Felicia Bond's illustrations make the book a children's classic.

Kristin Zambucka's "Frog Knights" and "Frogavia! Frogavia!" are perfect examples of books that consist of both lavish illustrations and compelling tales. In the first book, frog characters live in their own frog world - the big pond known as The Kingdom Of Frogavia. The true frog king is unseated from his ancient throne and banished to a far, distant pond by an evil ruler. As his bullying and tyrannical rule stretch on, the Frogavian people grow increasingly restless and unhappy. Finally, a group of brave young rebels rise up and go in search of their true king. They eventually find him and he dubs them chivalry frog knights in gratitude for their loyalty. The king, along with a frog queen and frog princesses, return to Frogavia and right the wrongs of the evil ruler. In the second book, the story progresses, with one of the chivalry frog knights asking for the frog princess' hand in marriage, but she marries another. The frog knight joins his friends from the first book to continue on their mission to make good triumph over evil.

Zambucka's books are more whimsical than, say, Mary Pope Osborne's Magic Tree House series or Tony Abbott's Secrets of Droon series, but capture the magic of childhood while imparting nuggets of wisdom. The whimsy and appeal of the characters is that they come from the animal kingdom.

There's no doubt that creatures are central to today's children's literature. Whether completely imaginary, such as those in "Where the Wild Things Are," or real, as are those in "365 Penguins," or a little of both, as in "Frogavia! Frogavia!", kids are captivated by animals that cause the imagination to soar.

The reason why satellite tv costs less than cable

Satellite TV has become a very popular choice in comparison to cable TV because it’s more reliable, less expensive and provides you with an abundance of channels and networks including national and international, specially-broadcasted sporting events, satellite music stations and more. But did you ever wonder, with all its added benefits, why satellite TV is cheaper than cable?

Well, to start with, there’s the competition factor. For many years, cable was the only way to get clear reception and access local programming channels without the use of ‘rabbit ears’. And then of course, with the addition of the increasing number of broadcasting networks made available through cable, it gave the public an abundance of choices for both TV and movie viewing. But along comes satellite and it has to compete with something that has built up a reliable and trustworthy position in the public’s eye. So in an effort to grow their business and customer base, and not only compete with, but lure people away from the cable companies and retain those customers as well, the satellite service providers offered lower monthly pricing options as well as free installation in many instances.

So, with lower monthly payments, an increased amount of channels, special event broadcasts not available through the cable networks, music stations, movie channels and other unique features that cable doesn’t or didn’t, at the time, offer, many people began switching over from their cable TV companies to satellite service.

Another appealing feature with satellite TV in comparison to cable TV, is that the satellite TV companies’ customer service representatives are available 24-hours a day, 7 days a week, unlike the cable companies who only work the regular Monday through Friday, 9-5 work week - and sometimes a half-a-day on Saturday. That can be incredibly frustrating when someone needs assistance with set-up or has general questions after regular business hours and/or on the weekend which is when most people actually have the time to contact customer service.

Of course, satellite TV reception is also much clearer and more reliable than cable TV which has greatly helped in maintaining its popularity and growth amongst the viewing public. And then there’s also the reduced expense on behalf of the satellite provider companies in regard to maintenance and service costs. There’s no need to send out a technician because there are no poles to climb, etc. If satellite service were be interrupted in an entire neighborhood – which is very rare and might only occur in cases of severe weather – everything can be ‘fixed’ either on the part of the customer adjusting the dish themselves, or through a computerized network at the satellite company’s office that accesses the actual satellite in space and adjusts/addresses any signal issues.

The bottom line is that the satellite TV service providers are well aware of all of this and additionally realize that they rank higher in customer service than the cable companies do. So, overall, from its inception through present, they’ve acknowledged that there’s no need to charge or increase their prices in order to compete with the cable companies.

Purifying the air with covert hidden cameras

In today’s modern society, spying and protecting your premises has become an art form. There are so many different devices that have been developed to hide covert hidden cameras that without a bug detector, it would seem nearly impossible to find them all. Even the most mundane devices can actually contain covert hidden cameras.

For example, you can purchase covert hidden cameras that have been placed inside of an air filter. Once type of model is a fully functional plug and play surveillance system that has the camera inside is virtually undetectable by the naked eye. It even comes with extra filters.

But for the ultimate air purifier with covert hidden cameras, you definitely want the one that is not only self-contained, but motion activated and is capable of recording up to 20,000 images. This gem not only purifies the air but because it is also a DVR, you don’t have to worry about transmitting the images you record all over the neighborhood. And it’s hassle free and easy to use.

Simply “arm” your camera using a convenient remote control as soon as motion is detected, the camera will begin to record images until fifteen seconds after all motion stops. And playing the images back is also a breeze. Simply disarm the unit, remove the postage stamp size MMC card and pop it into the reader, which connects to your laptop or desktop computer through the USB port. And depending upon the size MMC card you choose, you can record up to 3,000 images, 12,000 images, or even more.

Growth strategies for your home based business

You are the most important part of your home based business. To ensure you have a dynamic business, it is important to know how to motivate and focus yourself. This article will provide strategies to help you plan the way forward.

1.Plan ahead; it is essential you make a business plan. Lack of planning means that you have no clear focus for yourself or your home based business. Know exactly where you want your business to go and what you need to do to get there. Write it down and refer to it often.

2.Stepping stones; thinking of tackling your business plan can be overwhelming. There seems to be a huge amount to do and it would appear that it will be enormously time consuming. Don't panic! Break your plan down into several smaller ones and deal with them one at a time. This will keep you focused and the task in hand will seem more realistic and manageable.

3.Pathway to success; Once your business plan has been broken down into smaller steps, take time to review it and decide on the order you are going to tackle the various tasks. You may want change the order as you begin to work your way through it, but it will give you a starting point.

4.Display; Make your plan for your home based business a visual one. Put it on the wall of your workspace. It is important that it should not be solely a written document. Make it colourful and interesting. Use charts and pictures. That way information will be easy to see and to reference.

5.Review; as you complete each step of your home based business plan, take a little time out to review the progress you have made. It may have implications for the way you handle the next step.

6.Skills; it is important that you are able to identify your strengths and how they impact on your home based business. It is equally important to recognize areas you could improve in. Put in place strategies to counteract this. Go on training courses, work with someone who has skills in these areas or read books on the areas you need to improve on.

7.Daily plan; starting the day with no clear idea of what you need to do can be very demotivating. Each evening, write yourself a detailed to do list for the following day. Read through it first thing each morning and it will focus your mind on the day ahead.

8.Congratulate yourself; take time to celebrate your successes. When you reach a goal or complete one step of your plan for your home based business, take time to treat yourself by doing something you enjoy. It will motivate you to move on to the next stage of your home based business.

It is essential that you routinely plan and review in order to grow your home based business. Using the ideas in this article will ensure that you have a dynamic home based business that is sure to move forward.

What you should know about the new amazon kindle wireless ebook reader

IS THE KINDLE READER AS GOOD AS AMAZON SAYS IT IS? - AND WHAT ABOUT THE COMPETITION?

With the recent release of the Amazon Kindle ebook reader the Sony ebook reader range face some competition in this new and getting hotter market. Interestingly enough, most reviewers either love it or hate it - there doesn't seem to be any middle ground, despite it having some really neat features. Admittedly, a lot of the complaints seem to be where buyers have a specific requirement and the Kindle doesn't offer that function.

In all fairness, if you need it for something specific then make sure that it can do it!. Users, whilst generally hating the design, really love the functionality of the Kindle reader in that the navigation buttons are on either side so left or right handed people can use it with ease. The display, a 6" diagonal E-Ink® electronic paper display, 600 x 800 pixel resolution at 167 ppi, 4-level gray scale which uses e ink {although converted electronically} tries to emulate newsprint and as such can be read easily in sunlight without the normal glare associated with PC screens. The Qwerty keyboard is used to control and take advantage of the Whispernet technology for downloading and surfing - it's a direct connection and doesn't need Wifi hotspots or ISP's. The battery, which takes about two hours to charge will give you one week of reading but much less if you're downloading but should last about 2 days.

You have access to Wikipedia, about 250 top blogs and a whole host of Newspapers. The fact that it is only the size of a paperback and weighs just 10.3 ounces with a capacity of 200 books means you'll never be short of reading material and the easily adjustable font size allows you to find a comfortable reading level according to the ambience around you. It doesn't incorporate a backlit screen though so, if like me, you like reading in bed you'll still be juggling about with the torch!

If you're expecting an all singin' dancin' piece of technology in this ebook reader you'll probably be disappointed since it doesn't fully support PDF {The Kindle can read unsecured Mobipocket books, and Amazon has provided a still experimental converter for unsecured PDFs}. There is, however, no way to read encrypted versions of either format - annotating articles isn't possible - you're limited to the Kindle ebooks available and their pricing structure, also remember that the screen is black and white so magazine articles and pics will take some adjusting to.

The MP3 player seems to be causing some problems as it will only random play and the user has little control over this aspect and users think that Amazon, with its own encrypted books, are trying to ensure that all content comes from them and are just trying to exercise too much control. You can transfer over unencrypted ebooks via SD card or even email them to yourself but the latter choice incurs a 10c fee. There are a few options for storage if you exceed the Kindles memory - you can store them onto a SD card and then transfer them to your PC via USB or Amazon can store them online for you and it does seem possible that you can access Streamload's site via the Whispernet facility to up and download as you wish.

The main controversy that the Kindle reader opens up is that of pricing, not only of the reader itself but of ebooks in general. Many users of the reader are complaining about the price of some of the ebooks where there is only a small reduction in price compared to the hard back copy. Ebooks are growing in popularity all the time and it is going to be a while though before all publishers and retailers will get their heads together and sort out some commonalities. In comparison the Sony ebook readers don't have the advantage of the e-ink screen and may be more difficult to read in certain lighting conditions but it does give you easier access to a wider and cheaper range of ebooks.

So should you buy one? - if the higher price tag doesn't concern you and you're one of the "gotta have's" then you've probably already decided it should be on your list - personally I'd look at some of the alternatives and wait for not only a later version, which will probably be significantly cheaper anyway, but some of the niggling problem areas may well have been sorted.

For those of you that want more info go to ebookerstore. com/kindle/kindle_ebook_reader. html

Traveling to the galapagos islands

Galapagos Islands are one of the most beautiful places to visit. The Galapagos Islands has some of the most stunning islands and so much wildlife that you will not be able to get enough of this great place. There are 15 islands to visit in this wonderful travel vacation. To explore these islands, you go by water. You can go on cruises or go by boat to different islands. The views you will see in the Galapagos Islands are something you will want to make sure you have a camera along. The different shapes of rocks and the terrain are unique. In addition the animals that call the Galapagos home include some very rare species that are not known to live any place else on earth, except for occasionally at a zoo. This is a chance to see this wildlife up close and personal in their habitat.

Galapagos Islands have such wonderful views of different historical locations. As you travel from one island to another, you will learn about the history of each one since they are all different.

In the Galapagos Islands, the wildlife is one of the most popular things to view on your trip. For reptiles, they have everything from land reptiles to water reptiles. They also have a variety of turtles and lizards. The most popular are the Galapagos Tortoises, which have been featured on television shows and magazine articles. For the mammals, they have everything that range from sea lions, humpback whales, sperm whales, killer whales, bottle nosed dolphins, and the common dolphin. The Galapagos Islands also have over a dozen different kinds of land and sea birds for you to enjoy on your visit as well. The most popular attraction while visiting the Galapagos Islands is the wildlife that calls this area home. The wildlife here is some of the most amazing wildlife you will ever see. So make sure to grab your camera to capture wonderful and amazing pictures of these fascinating creatures. Each island has a variety of different animals. There are some animals on the islands that are not afraid of humans and you do not need to be afraid of them either.

You can enjoy sun tanning on any of the Galapagos Islands. Make sure to use good use sunscreen, as it can get pretty hot wherever you may be. The beaches sometimes might be covered in seals getting their sun bathing done for the day. So make sure to be nice and share with them. You can also enjoying a bit of snorkeling in the oceans and see more creatures under the sea. They also offer great hiking spots for you and the family to take and see more of the beautiful islands and of course more wildlife. The wonderful cruise ships you can take to these islands are serve breakfast, lunch and dinner daily to their guests.

So not only are you taking a cruise, but also visiting the wonderful Galapagos Islands and taking in everything it has to offer such as the animals, the history behind the islands and also the wonderful scenery. For your next family vacation, check out what the Galapagos Islands has to offer.

Panama outstanding eco-tourism

There are few places in the world where the eco-tourist can view the ecological wonders that result from the melding of two large continents and the molding of the land by the world’s two biggest oceans. There’s only one such place — Panama. It is no surprise that the respected Forbes Magazine cited Panama as the best eco-tourism destination for 2007.

Panama is the narrow isthmus that connects the Americas. That is easy enough to remember, but people tend to forget that Panama is also that fragile strip of land that separates the Pacific Ocean from the Atlantic Ocean (by way of the Caribbean Sea).

Nature and Wildlife

Off the waters of Panama, you can watch whales cavorting along the Golfo de Chiriqui, or snorkel among the colorful coral reefs on either ocean. Small as it is, there are over 1,500 islands in Panama, each with its own stretch of white-sand beaches. You have the chance to watch four species of sea turtle nesting on the country’s beaches and wetlands. Panama’s marine and aquatic life is so rich that they have evoked comparisons with the Galapagos Islands further south.

There are many national parks that you can visit for every ecological habitat you’d like to see. The mountains along the spine of Panama have their beguiling charms. You can hike through cloud-covered forests or swim in chilly mountain streams. If you feel adventurous enough, you can trek up Volcan Baru, the highest peak in Panama, and get a really unique experience: seeing, at the same time, the two largest oceans and the two largest continents at your feet.

Its jungles are among the least explored areas in the world. They offer a visual treat for the eco-tourist. In the country’s 500 rivers and 22,000 square kilometers of rain forest, there are 940 bird species and 125 animal species unique to Panama. If you’re lucky, you may get to see some of them.

What Else to Do

Panama offers you the colonial ruins and fortifications that once defended old Panama, Spain’s capital in the New World. You can check out the many fortresses along the Caribbean coast. Find time to attend the colorful festivals in the towns, where the Spanish legacy continues.

Dinner and a night on the town will make a good beginning or ending to your trip in the wilds. There are fine restaurants in Panama City to tickle every palate, quiet cafes overlooking the bay and the city, and nightclubs to while the night away.

Best Time to Go

It really depends on your plans. The peak tourist season corresponds with the dry season on the Pacific side, which is between mid-December and mid-April. The weather is mostly sunny in Panama City and places south of the Continental Divide during these months. On the Caribbean side to the north, the rains come all year-round. There is relatively less rain February to March and September to October.

If you want some serious hiking, trekking in the national parks, or taking in the beaches, the dry season between December and January may be the best time. But remember, that hotel prices and airfares will be higher during this period.

Planning Your Trip

Because of the ecological diversity in Panama, one gets tempted to spontaneous adventures. But it is good to make plans before you go to maximize your eco-tourism thrills. Some destinations are very popular and you will need reservations. Bocas de Toros is the country’s top destination. You need to reserve flights early if you wish to go to the islands of Comarca de Kuna Yala. There is only one carrier that flies to the archipelago.

A visit to remote Parque Nacional Darien would give you the best views of Nature in the tropics, but you will also need to book lodgings way in advance. The same arrangements are necessary for a visit to the Smithsonian Institution’s Tropical Research Institute on the Isla Barro Colorado.

Panama is an eclectic city that can accommodate any budget. There are many budget accommodations and inexpensive eating places. There are also five-star lodges with seascape views and charming B&B hideaways.